Blizzard won against bot creator of WOW! Goooo Blizzard!

Furor

0. WoW/MMO Glider Update 02/05/2009 01:03:33 PM EST

Everyone,

We’d like to take a moment to provide a major update on the WoW/MMO Glider case. We know this is a topic that many of you have followed, whether because of being directly affected by Glider users in game or simply because it’s been a controversial World of Warcraft-related issue over the past few years. On January 28, 2009, a U.S. district court judge ruled in Blizzard’s favor on several issues in the civil case between Blizzard and MDY Industries, LLC.

For those who aren’t familiar with the background of this case or the long process that led to this decision, MDY is the creator of Glider, a “bot” designed to play World of Warcraft automatically with little to no player input. We consider such automated play to be cheating because it goes against the spirit of the game and provides unfair advantages over other players, and we have expressly forbidden the use of bots in the World of Warcraft Terms of Use (ToU) because of this. We take violations of this policy very seriously and have consistently worked to identify the use of bots in game and suspend or close the associated accounts.

When World of Warcraft first launched in 2004, our GM and hacks teams searched for bots manually -- a process that became increasingly ineffective as bot technology evolved. Bots continued to proliferate within the game, and the community let us know loud and clear that this was something they opposed as much as we did. In response, we developed some security measures to protect the game and automatically detect the use of bots and other unauthorized hacks. We also reached out to the makers or operators of these bots in an effort to stop their distribution, and in most cases we were able to come to an agreement. While many bots were discontinued as a result, some bot makers continued their operations, and we needed to take a different route to remove them from the game -- with Glider being the biggest example.

In November 2006, we contacted MDY in an effort to halt the distribution of Glider. In response, MDY filed suit against Blizzard, asking the court to allow MDY to continue operating Glider unhindered. We then filed a countersuit alleging copyright infringement, in that Glider made unlawful use of our intellectual property; unlawful interference with the ToU agreement between us and our players; and Digital Millennium Copyright Act violations, in that MDY had circumvented the protections we’d implemented to protect the game. We asked the court to award money damages and to shut down MDY permanently.

Following these filings and associated court proceedings, a summary judgment was made in July 2008 finding in favor of Blizzard on two counts -- copyright infringement and unlawful interference with our business -- with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act count to be decided in a formal trial. In response to the summary judgment, MDY agreed to a stipulated judgment in the amount of 6 million dollars pending further appeal.

The trial for the remaining issues took place in early January of this year, and the ruling we’re discussing today came as a result of that. In his decision, the U.S. district court judge ruled that Glider violates the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, as the program intentionally circumvents our anti-cheat measures. In addition, the judge ruled that Glider’s creator is personally liable for the damages caused. Lastly, the judge ruled that we’re entitled to a permanent injunction against the distribution of Glider, which will take effect shortly unless MDY obtains a stay of the injunction during the appeal process. For the sake of the game and the players, we hope we’ve seen the last of Glider, but we’ll continue to take measures in game and out of game to protect World of Warcraft if MDY chooses to continue pursuing the matter.

Ultimately, this recent ruling strongly supports our efforts. We remain vigilant in defending our games against cheaters and unauthorized third-party hack programs, and we are as committed as ever to maintaining the overall quality of the player experiences in our games. To that end, we will continue to take any measure necessary to protect our games and our intellectual property rights.

While we generally try to keep the focus on the games themselves here in the forums, and try to avoid bogging everyone down with business-related matters, this was an important ruling for us, and we know keeping bots out of World of Warcraft is an important topic to many of you as well. We want to say thanks to all of you for playing Blizzard games and for either speaking out on the subject over the years or simply showing your support by abiding by World of Warcraft’s ToU and helping us keep the game fair for everyone.

 

Love blizzard, they know how to deal with bot users and creators!!!!

 

Knived11

hmm, that's no surprise, blizzard is a good company and has always dealt with bots 'WHEN' possible. And now they take out a company made to design bots, that's good. What i don't understand is the stupidity of MDY to sue Blizzard for asking them to stop doing something the ToU specifically says not to do. What a bunch of idiots.

Jakeadunk

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Originally posted by Knived11
hmm, that's no surprise, blizzard is a good company and has always dealt with bots 'WHEN' possible. And now they take out a company made to design bots, that's good. What i don't understand is the stupidity of MDY to sue Blizzard for asking them to stop doing something the ToU specifically says not to do. What a bunch of idiots.

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Well diablo 2, well i guess i wont go there. We will see when Diablo 3 is released.

Jakeadunk

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Originally posted by DwFMagik
<Mod edit>

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Now i know why the economy in WoW is out of whack OMG and i thought it was due to murlocs controlling the AH's

Josher

Originally posted by Jakeadunk


 

Originally posted by Knived11

hmm, that's no surprise, blizzard is a good company and has always dealt with bots 'WHEN' possible. And now they take out a company made to design bots, that's good. What i don't understand is the stupidity of MDY to sue Blizzard for asking them to stop doing something the ToU specifically says not to do. What a bunch of idiots.

Well diablo 2, well i guess i wont go there. We will see when Diablo 3 is released.

 

 

Big difference between a MMO and a mostly single player game.  You dont' have to cheat you know?  No one else cheating effects you when you're playing alone.  In a MMO however, If bots are allowing people to lvl up, then that effects me.  Scum, all of them.  Those that make the hacks and those that use them.  Real losers.

Knived11

Originally posted by Josher

Originally posted by Jakeadunk


 

Originally posted by Knived11

hmm, that's no surprise, blizzard is a good company and has always dealt with bots 'WHEN' possible. And now they take out a company made to design bots, that's good. What i don't understand is the stupidity of MDY to sue Blizzard for asking them to stop doing something the ToU specifically says not to do. What a bunch of idiots.

Well diablo 2, well i guess i wont go there. We will see when Diablo 3 is released.

 

 

Big difference between a MMO and a mostly single player game.  You dont' have to cheat you know?  No one else cheating effects you when you're playing alone.  In a MMO however, If bots are allowing people to lvl up, then that effects me.  Scum, all of them.  Those that make the hacks and those that use them.  Real losers.

 

You're right you know. If you need help to play a game then you're just too lazy to actually play. And if you're too lazy to play a game then you're as low as they get.

logangregor

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Originally posted by DwFMagik
<Mod edit>

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Just because your a active glider user doesnt mean you understand the law.

With or without cheaters, raids will still go on. This ridiculous idea that cheaters empower raiding guilds is a joke.

Even if the gliders continue, Blizzards resources keep growing.

You do the math.

mgarcia85

Glider isn't easy to use, I used it to level my priest to 50 because I already leveled 5-6 characters to 60-70 (pre-wrath) and wasn't doing that again. It was damn well worth the money I spent on it. After that I never touched it again because it is so damn hard to maintain that it almost takes as much time as it does to have just hand leveled. For things like leveling fishing it was awesome, what a terrible brainless activity that is.

I never have looked at botters the same after that, in order for it to look real you basically have to be a know a little programming, it was far from being a 'retard' grab and go program. On top of this the glider community is awesome, everyone was nice and helpful. Basically the opposite of this site. :P

I'm just glad stuff like that does exist, wow is fun the first time around, maybe even the second time. After that blizzard should let you start at level 50 or so and there would of been no need for me to do that.

jezvin

People who hate botters are just buthurt over the fact that botting removes the false sense of achomplishment people get for sitting on their buts and pressing a button 6 million times in a row as if it took any skill to do so. thus futher making them look like an idoit because the hated it all along.

Too many people in MMOs want to feel like what they are doing means something

tvalentine

i hate bots because it gives people a edge over others. In L2 where it took years to get to the max level, bots would make it much faster and be more powerful in pvp and unbalancing the whole game and economy. Also paying money for a program for a game doesnt seem much different then from paying to play on a private server (which is illegal). And why should people who pay for a program to level their character not go through what normal players go through? If a game is so boring that you have to bot, you shouldnt be playing that game.

Josher

Originally posted by jezvin


People who hate botters are just buthurt over the fact that botting removes the false sense of achomplishment people get for sitting on their buts and pressing a button 6 million times in a row as if it took any skill to do so. thus futher making them look like an idoit because the hated it all along.
Too many people in MMOs want to feel like what they are doing means something

 

Please explain why you're playing these games then?  Or, are you just a troll complaining on a MMO forum...who's the idiot?  Maybe you should stick to Item Shop free MMOs, then you can cheat all you want and no one cares=)

Maybe this makes it more clear...How would you feel if the guy next to you is cheating on a test and doesn't get caught and effects the bell curve?  But then again, you're probably the guy who cheats and doesn't give a ^%&$*. 

Its not about feeling accomplishment.,  Its about playing the game on the same level as anyone else.  How pathetic is a person who bots while playing a game he hates?  if you don't want to level a chearacter, quit the dumb game.  

TOo many people in MMOs think cheating is cool.  I weap for your future in real life, because how you act in a game is exactly who you are.

Ihmotepp

Originally posted by jezvin


People who hate botters are just buthurt over the fact that botting removes the false sense of achomplishment people get for sitting on their buts and pressing a button 6 million times in a row as if it took any skill to do so. thus futher making them look like an idoit because the hated it all along.
Too many people in MMOs want to feel like what they are doing means something

 

Then I suppose you would enjoy a game that incorporated bots, and where everyone playing the game was using bots to play. Right?

mgarcia85

Originally posted by Josher

Originally posted by jezvin


People who hate botters are just buthurt over the fact that botting removes the false sense of achomplishment people get for sitting on their buts and pressing a button 6 million times in a row as if it took any skill to do so. thus futher making them look like an idoit because the hated it all along.
Too many people in MMOs want to feel like what they are doing means something

 

Please explain why you're playing these games then?  Or, are you just a troll complaining on a MMO forum...who's the idiot?  Maybe you should stick to Item Shop free MMOs, then you can cheat all you want and no one cares=)

Maybe this makes it more clear...How would you feel if the guy next to you is cheating on a test and doesn't get caught and effects the bell curve?  But then again, you're probably the guy who cheats and doesn't give a ^%&$*. 

Its not about feeling accomplishment.,  Its about playing the game on the same level as anyone else.  How pathetic is a person who bots while playing a game he hates?  if you don't want to level a chearacter, quit the dumb game.  

TOo many people in MMOs think cheating is cool.  I weap for your future in real life, because how you act in a game is exactly who you are.

 

You can't compare a game to real life, that's just bad mentallity. I see terrible analogies like that all the time though. I'm not saying the guy you quoted is right, but he does have a point.

 

I agree with Vandayn 1000%, if the leveling up process was fun, there wouldn't be a need to bot. Why would you bypass fun? You wouldn't.

jezvin

Originally posted by Josher

Originally posted by jezvin


People who hate botters are just buthurt over the fact that botting removes the false sense of achomplishment people get for sitting on their buts and pressing a button 6 million times in a row as if it took any skill to do so. thus futher making them look like an idoit because the hated it all along.
Too many people in MMOs want to feel like what they are doing means something

 

Please explain why you're playing these games then?  Or, are you just a troll complaining on a MMO forum...who's the idiot?  Maybe you should stick to Item Shop free MMOs, then you can cheat all you want and no one cares=)

Maybe this makes it more clear...How would you feel if the guy next to you is cheating on a test and doesn't get caught and effects the bell curve?  But then again, you're probably the guy who cheats and doesn't give a ^%&$*. 

Its not about feeling accomplishment.,  Its about playing the game on the same level as anyone else.  How pathetic is a person who bots while playing a game he hates?  if you don't want to level a chearacter, quit the dumb game.  

TOo many people in MMOs think cheating is cool.  I weap for your future in real life, because how you act in a game is exactly who you are.

You generalize the game and specific tasks as one thing too much for my statements. Just because I would find one particualar area of a game not enjoyable but the developers thought it nessisary dosn't mean I do not like the game.

Your other argument are rather insulting and holds no relevance to this particular form of entertainment.

and it is about accomplishmennts in game, thats what almost all MMOs create their drive off of.

 

logangregor

This post is directed solely at the Moderators on the mmorpg.com forums.

I dont understand you guys. Someone talks about cheating and you remove it?

Whats the point?

A sad attempt at censorship?

Please by all means post a reason why you removed his post instead of the ninja removal with no explanation that we are all so accustomed to.

I mean, I dont agree with the guys point of view.

And I dont use bots, but if someone wants to SAY they support bots ...I mean isnt this a forum after all and we are encouraged to share our viewpoint.

cainhunter

Originally posted by Vendayn

Originally posted by Josher

Originally posted by jezvin


People who hate botters are just buthurt over the fact that botting removes the false sense of achomplishment people get for sitting on their buts and pressing a button 6 million times in a row as if it took any skill to do so. thus futher making them look like an idoit because the hated it all along.
Too many people in MMOs want to feel like what they are doing means something

 

Please explain why you're playing these games then?  Or, are you just a troll complaining on a MMO forum...who's the idiot?  Maybe you should stick to Item Shop free MMOs, then you can cheat all you want and no one cares=)

Maybe this makes it more clear...How would you feel if the guy next to you is cheating on a test and doesn't get caught and effects the bell curve?  But then again, you're probably the guy who cheats and doesn't give a ^%&$*. 

Its not about feeling accomplishment.,  Its about playing the game on the same level as anyone else.  How pathetic is a person who bots while playing a game he hates?  if you don't want to level a chearacter, quit the dumb game.  

TOo many people in MMOs think cheating is cool.  I weap for your future in real life, because how you act in a game is exactly who you are.

 

if WoW was actually sorta fun to level 70 (now 80). If before that it was fun, then there would be no need to bot. Doing the same quests (kill 15, deliver this, kill 20) with easy kiddy gameplay, of course I'm gonna bot. Level 70 was a LOT better. I botted in LOTRO, because that game is even worse. Botted in every level+quest based MMO I've played, and I'll keep doing it.

 

Now, if a developer ever makes a good sandbox+skill based game, like SWG used to be or UO or Asheron's call, then I won't be bored enough to bot because like SWG, there was tons of stuff to do and a lot of freedom and not some linear gameplay. I have a much higher incentive to not bot in those style games.

 

(edit)



There is eve...but I need land on my feet and I don't like space games.

 

Wait wait wait.. lemme get this strait.  You bot on WoW and LotRO because, the gameplay is kiddy and its same thing over and over.  Then what the heck were you doing playing those games in the first place?  That makes no sense.  I got a better idea, instead of whining like a little bitch about a game you don't even want to play (thus the botting and you yourself say the gameplay is kiddy) go find something else to do. 

Many of us are waiting for a good sandbox style fantasy game to come out, until then either play the games that are out and enjoy it, or stay away from them and don't ruin the game for the people you actually enjoy it.

rounner

This matter comes to the heart of what I am against in MMO's. No not botting, but the idea of people suspending enjoyment for a long term goal which is invariably false, ie a carrot on a stick. The idea that you want to start at end game because thats what is fun is a croc. What you really mean is your guild only does fun things at end game.

floppyface

Whoah. A lot of misinformed people in this thread.

Firstly, the case against mmo glider was won awhile ago but it is absolutely terrible decision.

What Blizzard did was claim that the creator of MMO Glider is violating Copyright. But the mod does not alter any Blizzard code and works much like any other mod.

Blizzard's argument was that people are only licensed to have WoW on their hard drive and when you load the game into RAM that is creating another copy of WoW - one which you are not licensed for. But Blizzard being the benevolent and kind Masters they are, allow us to do this as long as we follow their Terms of Usage. And this is how they linked their ToU with copyright which is a terrible legal concept.

Look, the maker of MMO Glider admits on the product's web page that if you get caught using this bot your account will be BANNED. No one is denying this is against the rules. NO ONE IS DENYING USING MMO GLIDER IS CHEATING. But since when did cheating become a copyright offense? Companies dont define copyright laws  - governments do.

What this means that anytime you break WoW's ToU you are breaking copyright law. As I pointed out previously Blizzard, and now the courts, consider the copy of WoW you load into memory to be "unlicensed" but Blizzard allows people to do this as long as they comply with the ToU.

Blizzard even acknowledged during the court case that they have trouble identfying people running mmo glider. So instead of putting money into monitoring their game for cheaters they used their financial muscle to turn cheating into copyright violation.

So before you mindless, zombie Blizzard fanbois cheer this action think about what it means and the validity of the court ruling. As I said before NO ONE DENIES BOTTING IS CHEATING AND THAT IS SHOULD BE BANNED.

Theocritus

      One of my biggest compalints about WoW was the amount of hacks, bots and cheaters.......It jsut amazes me that people just cant play games for fun anymore....The majority of players just have to be the best and will do whatever it takes to achieve that (buying gold, botting, hacks, whatever)........I really didnt know how many there were and how bad it was until I played on a private server and became friends with a GM there.......

Brif

<Mod Edit>

Kyleran

Originally posted by Theocritus


      One of my biggest compalints about WoW was the amount of hacks, bots and cheaters.......It jsut amazes me that people just cant play games for fun anymore....The majority of players just have to be the best and will do whatever it takes to achieve that (buying gold, botting, hacks, whatever)........I really didnt know how many there were and how bad it was until I played on a private server and became friends with a GM there.......

WOW your first MMO? I ask because MMO's have been plagued with hacks, bots and cheaters since the dawn of UO, and WOW hardly has any more or less, unless you take into account the magnitude of the player base.

 

Samuraisword

Even though WoW has dummied down the MMOG genre, Blizzard deserves much respect for their legal battles, something SOE was too cowardly to do with their games.

Samuraisword

Originally posted by Vendayn


when I used to play WoW I botted all of my characters to 70 (its 80 now, but I left before that)...getting to 70 was utterly boring and everyone said the real game was at the endgame, so I botted. Didn't make too many characters anyway and blizzard never got me. I bot all level based/quest based games, since leveling and doing quests are very boring. 

Pathetic. Try doing that in Darkfall where other players will prevent you.

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

MyPreciousss

Good job Blizzard with those stupid bots no one cares about, now will you tackle the gold spammers that have been harassing your channels for 4 years every 3 minutes in capital cities? And will you implement your own rules and ban spamming/insulting/offensive players? Will you hire (competent) GMs? Etc, etc.

floppyface

Originally posted by templarga

Originally posted by floppyface



What this means that anytime you break WoW's ToU you are breaking copyright law. As I pointed out previously Blizzard, and now the courts, consider the copy of WoW you load into memory to be "unlicensed" but Blizzard allows people to do this as long as they comply with the ToU.

No exactly. Everything is on a case by case basis and to say something like the above, is to only use a slippery slope argument. It is more accurate to say that anytime you bot or use an automated program in the game then you are breaking the ToU. But not every case or every instance is copyright law.

 

Ok, I'll rephrase that. "What this means that anytime you break WoW's ToU you are potentially breaking copyright law."

The problem with this is that Blizzard become the police and decide what is copyright breach and what isn't.

And good of you to actually read what I wrote, templarga. So many people in thread are missing the point